Guide to Shopping in Morocco by Wandering Wheatleys

Guide to Shopping in Morocco: What to Buy and How to Bargain

While you wander through the medina of any city in Morocco, no matter how large or small, it’s impossible not to be distracted by the countless shops as far as the eye can see. Colorful plush rugs, handwoven blankets, leather bags of every shape and size, fragrant spices – you’ll need an extra suitcase just to get everything home!

And while you can get most of these treasures at amazing prices, those prices don’t come easily. You’ll need to do a lot of negotiating and endure a fair bit of hassle. There are no prices listed on any items and when you ask, they’ll offer a starting price that is at least twice as much as it should be. Read on to learn how to figure out what things should cost and how to get them for the price you want.

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Leather Poofs by Wandering Wheatleys

Shopping in Morocco

The Basics

  • A “souq” or “souk” is the name given to the markets when you are out and about shopping in Morocco. The tourist souks where you’ll find a variety of treasures are generally inside of the old city walls.
  • The currency in Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham (Dhs). At the time of writing (March of 2018) the conversion rate was about 9.25 Dhs to $1 USD. We’ll be referring to costs in Moroccan Dirham in this post. So if something costs 100 Dhs, that’s just about $11 USD.
  • Be sure you have cash! Very few vendors accept credit cards.
  • If you want to ask how much something costs, in French you would say “Combien ça coûte?” and in Arabic “bekam di?”
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Shipping from Morocco

The shipping costs in Morocco are charged per kilo. We’ve made many, many, many shipping mistakes in the past due to improper packaging that has led to broken treasures. So instead, we decided to ship only non-breakable goods this time. You’ll need to fill out a shipping form which is in French but basically, you’ll just list the destination address, the return address (just put your riad), and the contents of the package.

We attempted to track down a cardboard box which we found challenging. They only sell very small boxes at the post office and no one we asked seemed to have any idea where to get one. Instead, we ended up buying a blue tarp-like shipping bag that we stuffed full and then taped uptight. This solution would not be ideal for shipping anything fragile.

Into our blue bag went 3 leather poufs, 3 leather purses (one was luggage-sized), and one large woven blanket. The total weight was 7.3 kilos (16 lbs) and the cost to ship was 815 Dhs ($89 USD). So around 112 Dhs per kilo to ship to the state of Tennessee in the United States (that’s about $5.50 USD per pound).

Figuring out the “Real” Price

You’ll find those very few things that you can purchase while shopping in Morocco are truly one of a kind. The same bags, rugs, and blankets are sold in pretty much every store, in every souk, in every town in Morocco. There are variations of course, in color and in quality, but due to the sheer number of similar items being sold, it’s pretty easy to figure out what items should cost.

Before you actually buy anything, spend a day price checking. You’ll find that the shops near busy main squares are generally more expensive. The shops down little side alleyways are generally cheaper. They pay more in rent and pass the costs on to the consumer. Don’t start negotiating yet, just get a lay of the land.

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For instance, it is very popular to purchase colorful woven beach towels with poms on the ends in Essaouira. If you price check them near the square, you’ll find that the initial asking price is 120 Dhs (~$13). But the further you wander into the souk, the more the price drops. First to 100 Dhs, and finally to 80 Dhs (which was my final purchase price).

I prefer to check the price of an item with at least 4 shop owners prior to beginning my negotiations.

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Negotiating in Morocco

Negotiating in Morocco is expected and welcomed, so be prepared to bargain with shopkeepers. You’ll notice that prices are not listed on any items (even in the small food markets in the souks). You’ll have to ask the store owner how much any item that you’re interested in purchasing will cost. You may notice that it takes them a moment to give a price – they are probably sizing you up. We had several shop owners tell us that they charge a price that is 3 times higher to “old people with money.”

You’ll also notice that the price comes down quite a bit as soon as you say no and start to walk away. They’ll call after you “how much you pay?” “I give you special price!”

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Successful Negotiation Tactics when shopping in Morocco

  • Walk away (or at least pretend to begin walking away)
  • Have a number in your mind that you are willing to spend (as well as a number that you are NOT willing to spend)
  • Counteroffer with a price that is about half of their initial offering price
  • Have fun with it!
  • Don’t buy from anyone who is overly aggressive or rude

Let’s say the price starts at 400 Dhs (~$43 USD) and you counter at 200 Dhs. You’ll be able to tell almost immediately how far on or off you are. If they pretend to be offended but continue with negotiations, you can probably end up somewhere in the middle, say around 300 Dhs. If they just shake their head “no” and pay you no more mind, they probably aren’t very interested in budging.

Quality Control

Every shop owner will give you some spiel about anything you pick up. “This is good quality, camel leather” or “this is handmade”. Don’t believe what you hear. You’ll need to do a thorough check yourself!

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What to Buy in Morocco

Leather Poufs

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Leather Poof in Essaouira

These embroidered leather cushions are a popular souvenir when shopping in Morocco as they can be unstuffed and can pack down small to fit in your luggage. They are also sold in quaint boutiques in the US for about 6 times the price you’ll pay here.

The price for a pouf varies based on quality and size. The smaller, colored poufs will run you about 150 Dhs while the larger, brown leather poufs with embroidery will run around 300 Dhs. If you don’t like the color, it is easy for them to darken it with oil (but not lighten).

If you don’t have room in your bag, Amazon has similar, reasonably priced options.

Leather Bags

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Leather Bags


The size and quality of leather bags when shopping in Morocco vary wildly, so it’s incredibly difficult to give any guidance as to what you should expect.

While shopping in Morocco, I bought a bag with a removable strap so it can be a clutch or a cross-body bag. The leather is in a crisscross pattern and it is probably 12″ wide by 6″ tall. When I first saw it the price was quoted as being 350 Dhs. When I returned later in the day there was another man working at the shop and he quoted me 700 Dhs (twice as much for the exact same bag). I scoffed and walked away with him yelling lower numbers at me. We finally settled on 200 Dhs.

So, is it worth 350 Dhs? Or 700? Or 200? I felt like I got a good deal, but I’m fairly certain I overpaid. But as long as both you and the shop owner are happy at the end of the transaction, who really cares?

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Woven Blankets

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Woven Blankets


I purchased only one of these soft, vibrant, massive blankets with poms on each end but wished I had the room to buy 10 more. We found that the price often started at 400 Dhs (~$43 USD) for a 6’x6′ blanket. Most vendors weren’t interested in negotiating any lower than 320 Dhs. You’ll primarily find these in the souks in Marrakech and Essaouira.

Moroccan Wedding Blankets

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Moroccan Wedding Blankets


These beautiful blankets are white in color and are hand sewn with fringe and small, round ornamental pieces. They are made in small mountain villages and are generally given to women in celebration of their wedding day.

The beginning price for a wedding blanket that is 3’x6′ in size will be around 2,000 Dhs ($218 USD). And you’re unlikely to find any shop owners willing to negotiate lower than 1,300 Dhs for an intricately woven, high-quality blanket. If you opt for one that is not as intricate, you may be able to get down to 700 Dhs.

If that is out of your price range, purchase a pillow made of the same material instead. I picked up a quality pillowcase that was about 16″x16″ for 250 Dhs.

If you search for a Moroccan wedding blanket on Amazon, you’ll find that prices are exorbitant and there aren’t very many to choose from. So if you really want one, pick it up in Morocco rather than waiting until you get back home.

Berber Rugs

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You can purchase rugs of every shape, size, and quality in Morocco. It would be impossible to give an idea of what rug prices should be since they are so dependent on size and quality. Just be sure to take your time, shop around, ask a lot of questions, and don’t feel pressured into buying anything you’re not 100% comfortable with. Even if they’ve dragged out 1,000 rugs for you to look through and you’ve accepted their offer of tea, you’re not obligated to buy a thing.

If you purchase an expensive rug and have them ship it to your home, you may want to pay with a credit card so you can challenge the charge if anything goes wrong.

Spices

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Spice Shopping in the Souk


If you love cooking, you’ll love the variety of inexpensive spices when shopping in Morocco! Just don’t forget that the prices on these are not fixed. Negotiate before agreeing to a price.

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Argan Oil

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Argan Oil


Argan oil is immensely popular in Morocco. You’ll see women sitting on the front step of cosmetic shops crushing kernels of the argan tree into a paste. These shops are primarily staffed by women and sell everything from soaps to lotions to shampoos and every other aid for your hair and skin.

You can purchase products that contain argan oil or you can simply purchase a bottle of pure oil. It’s great for your hair and your skin!

Ceramics

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Ceramics in the Medina


Large painted ceramic bowls and plates are all over the place when shopping in Morocco. You’ll see them in all of the souks. In many restaurants, you’ll be dining in and seeing your food on these ceramic bowls. The most basic ones are painted in a floral design and the more intricate plates include decorative metal pieces.

Moroccan Ceramic Plate

A large serving plate will run you probably 200-300 Dhs in Morocco or around $35 on Amazon. Considering how challenging they are to get home without damage, this may be one that’s worth buying online rather than in the souk.

Metal Lamps

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Metal Lamps


Huge, intricate metal lamps hang from the ceilings of riads, hotels, and restaurants and will have you dying to take one home with you. They come in every shape and size and crowd the walls and ceilings of many shops in the souks. When they turn all of the lights on, you will be amazed by their brilliance.

But these lamps don’t come cheap. The starting price of a small hanging lamp is around 400 Dhs (~$43 USD) and the sky is the limit for how high the price will go from there.

Moroccan Ceiling Light

If you prefer to wait until you get home to find your perfect Moroccan lamp, there are only a few options on Amazon and they are quite expensive. In fact, if you really want to get a deal on a lamp you should plan a vacation in Egypt and pick one up there!

Baskets

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Colorful Woven Baskets


You’ll find an assortment of colorful baskets with lids as well as embroidered beach bags made of basket material all over the souks of Morocco. Note that prices start high, around 300 Dhs ($33 USD), and then begin falling rapidly as you walk away. You’ll likely be able to get the price below 100 Dhs without too much effort.


Where to Buy Souvenirs in Morocco

You’ll find the largest selection and the best prices in the souks of Marrakech. But with that comes more hassle and much more aggressive men. If you are looking for a more easygoing and enjoyable experience, head to Essaouira on the coast. You may pay a bit more, but you’ll most certainly have a better time.

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If you are looking to purchase leather, then Fes is the place to go. You can see (and smell) the men in action in the tanneries. There are also many small workshops where you can actually watch the goods being made. While it’s a cool experience to witness, you won’t find much of a difference in price here than in other souks around the country.

Shopping Guide for Morocco What to Buy and How Much to Spend: Leather Poufs in the Medina

Keep in mind that if you find something you love deep in the middle of any souk, it may be difficult to find it again. Take one of their business cards or mark the GPS on your map if you want to think about it and go back later.

Different cities carry different treasures so if you find something you love, don’t move on to a new city expecting to be able to find it there. Just buy it or you’ll regret it later!

We hope you have an amazing time shopping in Morocco!


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About the Author:

  • Valerie Wheatley

    Val grew up in Portland, Oregon but moved to Oahu on a whim back in 2013. She sold her house and all of her belongings and bought a one-way ticket. Since then she’s taken two around-the-world trips and has visited 60-ish countries while living out of a duffel bag.

    Val started documenting the Wandering Wheatleys travels back in 2013 as a way to update friends and family about her whereabouts and to relay humorous daily interactions. The only readers were her mom and her mother-in-law but that didn’t stop her!

    These days you’ll find Val dreaming up future trips, creating new travel content, managing a team of amazing travel enthusiasts, and chasing around her two adorable but naughty kids.

7 thoughts on “Guide to Shopping in Morocco: What to Buy and How to Bargain”

  1. Thank you for this! This was extremely helpful and has me excited and looking forward to finding some treasures on my trip there next week!

  2. I got ripped off. When the guide takes you to a ceramics factory in Fes, run don’t walk to the nearest exit. Visit the souk in Marrakech for inexpensive and lovely items. Don’t fall for the whole “ hand made by local artisans “ crap. You will overpay. Also buy just about everything in Marrakech. Great prices. Best find was the cooking school in la maison arabe, which was a deal. Fabulous instructions, great food, amazing way to spend half the day. Honestly the most memorable thing I did in 2 weeks in Morocco. Love the women who run it! Wafa is the real deal

  3. “How much” is “Bish’hal” in Darija, not “Bekam di.”

    I’ve never heard that phrase in Morocco before. It looks like it may be Egyptian.

  4. Which shipping company did you use to send your items home? We are in Marrakech now and are trying to decide where to go. Thank you in advance!

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